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Back Cover: It appears Jenna Bouvier is losing everything: beauty, family, and wealth. When her controlling and emotionally abusive mother-in-law accuses Jenna of an affair with her spiritual director and threatens to expose them, Jenna also risks losing her reputation as a woman of faith. Will she capitulate to her mother-in-law’s wishes again or fight for what she holds dear? As Jenna loses her life, will she find it?

Andee Bell has found exactly what she wanted: fame, fortune, and respect. There’s also a special man in her life—Jenna’s brother. Despite her success, a secret quells Andee’s contentment. As memories torment, will she find peace in a relationship with God, or will she sabotage herself while also taking down the only person she cares about? As Andee finds her life, will she lose it?

Moving between San Francisco and the Napa Valley, Jenna and Andee form an unlikely relationship that leads them to a crossroad. They can follow familiar inclinations, or risk it all and walk in faith.

Review: Lost and Found is the spiritual journey of Jenna, a girl who has lost her way. Doesn’t know where she fits in? Jenna’s become someone she doesn’t even recognize, not just physically but relationally and emotionally. Somewhere along the way Jenna stopped living life and started going through the motions of it, playing the role others expected of her to, keeping peace on all fronts.

Jenna beats herself up in her thoughts, “How soon I forget my recent declaration to face the present rather than escape to the bliss of denial. That, I recall, is the chink in my self-protective mechanism: my decision to face reality…. I hang my head. Change is a slow zigzagging road. One on which I will lose my way if I go it alone….A truth that starts her on a new course.”

Jenna begins to wonder at what lengths will she go to to seek the acceptance and love of mother-in-law Bridgette? Can she stop the cycle? Is it worth the price?

Andee’s a go getter, her motto in life is, “Drive determines destiny-control your destiny or someone else will.. fate has no place in my life…(she tells others) you are God of your finances….why pray when you can act and determine your own out come? Faith is fantastical thinking… she deals with reality.” There was no room for God in Andee’s life. Besides she had given Him a chance once and He let her down. She wasn’t going there again.

Andee yells, “You can’t separate the two.” Nor was she going to try! She was what she did. She’d keep busy so she didn’t think about matters of the heart. It was easier that way.

Jenna’s brother Jason says to Andee, “It’s about who you are – who you’re becoming. Not the title you hold- but who you are on the inside!”

Jason was wrong. Andee was about power, control and would betray and do whatever it took to make a deal work and win the prize for her client. That’s who she was. No one cared about what was on the inside. It’s all about getting the deal done.

Bridgette is a character that reminded me of the wicked step mother in Cinderella. She acted one way in public, and another in private where no one could hear or see her actions. She took control of her husbands company after his death and moved it to America. She left France and was growing the company her way. Her son couldn’t understand this. It was all about power, control and emotional manipulation. She’d do whatever it took to win, no matter the cost. Andee and Bridgette had a lot in common.

Not only was this an amazing story filled with rich layered characters and an in-depth story-line that made me not want to put the book down but it also had a few plot surprises.

Ginny shows the reader the things they can find in Christ are far more than we could imagine. She also shows a big change through her characters specially Jenna. Change comes about when the pain of life is greater than the fear of change.

Lost and Found is a word picture of surrender. What does it look like to surrender all you’ve learned, done, become and controlled to be all God wants you to be? Could someone let Him be Lord of their life and find riches and peace not of this world?

Ginny Yttrup’s books are a gift to be experienced. In her books Words, she shows a word picture of what it looks like to have God heal you from the inside out. How He loves us through our pain and makes us whole. Just like Jesus reveals the scars on His hands and feet so he could tell the story of the scars but there was no pain attached, just peace.

This story is not preachy put an emotional, gripping suspenseful tale that shows life at it’s toughest. I loved the believable spiritual thread that was naturally woven into the story. The emotions were deep and raw and the subject matter gripping. The financial story line and the depth of emotions reminded me of the movie re-make of Michael Douglas in ,”Wall Street Where Money Never Sleeps” take that drama and imagine a strong believable spiritual thread in the mix. Read and see how people act when there’s a lot of money on the line?

I highly recommend this memorial, moving story that touched me to the core of my being. Word and Lost and Found give me a reason to read and why I specifically read Christian Fiction. It’s also the main reason I do what I do. Thank you Ginny for having the courage to write the stories the Lord has laid on your heart, Also the courage to be vulnerable and honest in your story telling. I’m excited about Lost and Found and praying for you as you pen the next book the Lord prompts you to write. This books a keeper, a must read! It’s also one you’ll be telling your friends about and one you won’t soon forget! I don’t normally re-read books but there was so much in this book I have to read it again to experience all its fullness.

THE BOOK CLUB NETWORK is having a drawing for this book. The last day to enter is TODAY!! Here is the link 5 Copies of LOST AND FOUND by GINNY L. YTTRUP

BOOK REVIEWS

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Nora St.Laurent
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